Executive Benefits

Retain Top People

Too often, qualified plans fail to provide enough incentive or reward for highly paid execs. As you know, their programs fall under IRS compensation limitations and non-discrimination tests. Even the deferral maximum limits execs who don't need all of their income. Strategically, then, how can you keep your key contributors happy, motivated and rewarded?

Here are several things you might consider:

Deferred compensation programs or 401(k) wrap-around plans allow key executives to save more income on a tax-favored basis. The key is this: a non-qualified retirement plan is not subject to the same stringent reporting and testing requirements of a qualified plan.

“Top-Hat” plans require the proper design, documentation and funding in order to attract and/or retain a tenured group of individuals.

Your company can enter into a Supplemental Executive Retirement Plan (SERP) with executives. They make no election to defer salary. Instead, your company agrees to supplement their own retirement accumulations with an additional stream of income. You provide this income using a sinking fund or other techniques.

Knowledge Summit at American College features Ralph Christie, chairman and CEO of Merrick & Co. He reviews how his company, faced with a dark future, used strategic succession planning to achieve great success.

Dominican University of California Graduate School of Business and Leadership workshop discusses ESOPs and their use in strategic planning.